


Who Defines You

by treblemirinlens



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Gen, Winter Blueberry AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-06-05 06:39:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6693487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treblemirinlens/pseuds/treblemirinlens
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Busy supporting the Alliance elsewhere, Rex finally gets a chance to meet with the returned Ezra.</p>
<p>Part of the Winter Blueberry AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Defines You

_How long?_ He’d asked.

_A while now._ Was all the answer he was given.

 

Kanan had been wary of letting him visit. He seemed wary of letting much of anyone near the kid.

“Until he’s more… stable. People upset him. It’s hard for them to understand what he’s been through.”

“You’re right. How could anyone possibly understand what it’s like to exist solely to follow orders to fight and kill?  How can anyone ever be treated as an expendable weapon and overcome that?”

 

Rex had won.

 

He stepped in, eyes making a quick sweep of the room. Mostly empty, a chair by the door, Ezra sitting glumly on the bunk on the far side, leaning against the bulkhead. He was secured to the bunk by a set of binders. The kid was older now, sure, but the most noticeable difference was that his fire was gone. Or hidden.

“Hey, it’s uh…. It’s been a while.”

“Rex.”

Rex motioned to the binders. “We don’t need those to talk.” He moved forward, Ezra watching silently as he unlocked the binders.

“You shouldn’t do that.” His voice was quiet. “I could hurt you.”

Binders in hand, Rex stepped back and looked him in the eyes. “You could, sure. But these are just standard binders. Nothing Force-user proof about ‘em.” He turned, tossed the binders aside and pulled the chair closer to the bunk and sat down, speaking as he moved. “If you really wanted to hurt anybody, you’d have broken out and done so by now.”

“It’s not that I want to. I just. Could. Might. My missions…”

“There are no more missions, kid, not for them.”

“I’m not a kid.”

“And who are you then?”

“Didn’t they tell you?”

_Soldier. Right_. Kanan had told him that much at least. Rex crossed his arms and leaned back.

“Yeah… I don’t think so. In my book, a soldier is someone who chooses to fight. If not for the cause, then at least for their team.”

“I did... terrible things.”

“The way I hear it, that wasn’t you. Not really. That was the Empire. And them? Look, the Alliance has intercepted transmissions. The Empire is done with you. As far as they’re concerned, you’re just a piece of novelty equipment that broke. So maybe you aren’t Ezra Bridger anymore, but you sure as hell aren’t their weapon anymore either. The longer you let them define you, the longer you’re allowing them to win. I know you don’t want that. You never did, and I can see that you still don’t. Otherwise you’d never have allowed yourself to be locked up in here out of fear in the first place. But you can’t stay locked up in here forever. You need to figure out who you want to be.”

Silence. But not silence out of contempt. Rex realized he was absorbing every word. How much time had this kid spent alone in here, a self-induced prisoner? He sighed, attempting to ease his frustration.

“I never told you about my brothers, did I? About Fives or Jesse or Hardcase?” His face turned more grim. “Or Dogma.”

Ezra gave the slightest shake of his head.

Rex closed his eyes, took another deep breath, and began telling Ezra of the eternally dark planet, Umbara.

 

* * *

 

They’d been sitting in silence for a few minutes when Rex’s wrist comm beeped. “Rex here.”

“Sir, we’re refueled and maintenance on the transport is complete, Commander Skywalker says we need to leave in the next hour if we’re going to make the rendezvous.”

“Roger that, I’ll be there in ten.” He looked back to his friend. “Guess I have to get going. I’ll be away for a little while but...” He fished in a pocket, and tossed an extra comlink to Ezra. “Here, if you ever want to talk. They can patch you through to me.”

Ezra looked at it uncertainly. “I’m not sure if I should have one of these.”

“If you decide you don’t want it, then give it to Kanan. Just tell him I gave it to you, I’m sure he’ll love that.”

A faint, familiar smirk flickered across Ezra’s face. “So you two are getting along as well as ever.”

Rex grinned and waved a hand dismissively. “We have our moments. I’ll see you again, okay? Hey, maybe next time I’ll tell you about my brother Cut Lawquane, he became a farmer.”

“Sounds enthralling.”

Rex moved to leave, smiling to himself. Sarcasm was good to hear. As he reached the door, Ezra spoke up again.

I... I’d like that though. You visiting... and telling me about your brothers.”

Rex nodded. “I’ll see you around, kid.”

Ezra smiled.


End file.
